Australian Fulbright senior scholar to visit Kansas State University Jan. 18-19

Clarke is head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University. He will present "Act of God! A case study of religion and humanitarian disaster in Vanuatu" at 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, in the Big 12 Room of the K-State Student Union. The lecture is free and open to the public.

He will discuss the role religion and religious organizations have played in response to humanitarian emergencies in the Pacific island state of Vanuatu — such as Cyclone Pam — and will argue the religious context in Vanuatu shaped and influenced the cyclone's initial and longer-term response.

During his visit, Clarke will meet with faculty, staff and students in the geography department.

Clarke also served as professor and head of school and associate professor and deputy head school at Deakin University. He was a postdoctoral research fellow at Victoria University from 2002-2004, and was a program officer for World Vision of Australia from 1995-1998.

He was part of a team who won the Deakin University Award for Outstanding Contribution to Global Experiences in 2016. He also received the Deakin University Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research-Early Career Researcher in 2008, RMIT University Teaching Award-Early Career Academic in 2006, and Victoria University's Vice-Chancellor's Medal for Excellence in Research in 2004.

He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Monash University, and his doctorate from Victoria University.

The Oz to Oz program was established to grow a network of faculty between Kansas State University and Australian universities. As part of the program, K-State hosts visiting faculty from Australian universities and sends faculty from K-State to Australia. Visiting Fulbright scholars present a seminar and connect with host faculty members.